Review

Japan's Fujimi has long been known for a line of modern cars; its Mini captures the lines of the new Cooper very well.

It's curbside, so there's no engine, but the chassis, suspension and interior more than make up for it. The body, bumpers and rocker panels are molded in bright red plastic that will need priming for lighter colors. Mold seams, inevitable on complex shapes like the body, are kept to a minimum - the heaviest were along the bumps behind the headlights.

The chassis includes oil-pan and transmission detail that is mostly hidden when the front suspension is attached. Interior decoration includes a tub with center console and back seat, separate bucket seats for the front, a dashboard with decal instrument faces, pedals and shift levers. There are unused manual pedals and shifters on the sprue.

The clear parts are thin and very transparent, with lens detail on the lights. Plated bezels and grilles have a smooth, satin finish. Decals provide badges, hood stripes and Japanese license plates with individual numbers to create your own registration.

After painting the chassis, I attached the suspension. The struts and springs are simplified, but are almost invisible when the wheels are attached. Judicious glue application left the front wheels posable. I left the wheels and tires off until after painting.

Mirroring the full-size car, the interior painting is complicated, consisting of a series of different blacks. I used gunmetal in place of silver here; the trim on the real car is dark metallic.

There's a lot of masking involved with painting the Mini. After airbrushing the interior and pylons black, I masked and sprayed Tamiya Italian red. The rocker panels, wheel-arch flares and spoilers are all black. I painted them freehand, along with the trim on the white roof.

Masking the black surrounds on every window took time. The areas that need to be black are textured, but can be hard to follow. Most of the glass wraps around the outside of the pillars. I used clear parts cement to attach them. The windshield needed serious persuasion to stay in the frame.

After applying an oil wash to the white wheels to make the hub detail pop, I added the very nice Pirelli tires. The front wheels fit well and turn, but I found the rear a little loose so I glued them with CA. The chrome trim fit perfectly; the model looks sharp for it. Fujimi supplies wire screen and a cutting template to detail for the front spoiler intake.

The chassis is a snug fit, requiring careful squeezing to seat, but the model is rock solid without glue. With wipers, wing mirrors, antenna and decals, my Cooper looks ready for the road.

You just have to drive around today to see how popular the reinvented Mini is. Fujimi's kit nails the look of the car. Careful painting will reward modelers with a great replica. It sits right, capturing the aggressive, front-heavy posture of the full-size Mini.

Simplified drive train details make construction easy, but complicated masking and painting will frustrate beginners. Anyone with a few cars under their belts should have no problems. Fujimi produces smart models, and it's good to see kits like this.